Hello fellow chiarians and SMers,I'm researching getting a medical ID bracelet and I'm trying to think of useful info that a paramedic might need. Paramedics sometimes might have to perform chest compressions, which can be quite violent. Is this a danger to those of us with the lamina removed from the back of our spines? Are there any other emergency procedures that we should be wary of and have cautions on our id bracelets?I know that simply putting "Chiari Malformation" is pretty pointless since almost no one knows about this. I searched through previous posts on the subject, but couldn't find any details as to what should be on a medical bracelet for our condition.

I would suggest talking with the folks at MedicAlert - they're the non-profit foundation that is pretty widely recognized in the EMT/First Responder community. You're bracelet has core info on it, plus your ID number & the 800 number. They helped me figure out what to put on mine - their number is 1-800-432-5378. As part of the service, they maintain a database of all your meds, plus all conditions, cautions, allergies, docs, and emergency contact information. This database is available to emergency personnel 24/7/365 - having it has given me a lot of peace of mind, since I live alone.

I put Syringomyelia & Myoclonus on mine - if they don't know what it is, they'll at least ask or call to find out. (The paramedics have ended up at my house twice due to falls, and it helped both times.)

One thing to bear in mind is that, in much of the country, EMTs & First Responders are required by law to perform CPR - having a caution on your bracelet in those cases is pointless.